Braised Beef with Mussels using Canada Beef
When people think of the flavors of Canada’s West Coast the first thing that comes to mind is seafood. And why not? From oysters and mussels to salmon and halibut, the ocean’s bounty is the cornerstone of a great West Coast meal. You know what else is a hallmark of British Columbia? Beef! While Aberta is rightfully well-known and highly regarded for great beef, we more than hold our own in beautiful B.C.
I’ve teamed up with Canada beef to celebrate the coming conclusion of a gorgeous summer with an afternoon in the kitchen putting a West Coast spin on an old favorite: Surf and Turf. And while I’m as big a fan of tradition in the kitchen as anyone, it felt right to push the limits of convention and do something different.
There are so many different cuts of beef – from skirt steak to short rib, filet to flank steak – that the possibilities are near endless. The next time you’re craving classic surf and turf I would encourage you to give something different a try. Check out my recipe for Braised Short Rib and Mussels.
BRAISED SHORT RIB AND MUSSELS
INGREDIENTS
For the Short Rib
- 4 whole short rib on the bone
- 1 large carrot – diced
- 1 large yellow onion – diced
- 6 cloves of garlic – crushed
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1 750 ml bottle of red wine or 375ml of red wine with 375 ml of beef stock
- ½ stick of unsalted butter
- Canola oil
- Kosher salt
For the Mussels
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 shallot – thinly sliced
- 4 cloves of garlic – minced
- Approx. 2 cups of dry white wine
- Approx. 20-25 fresh mussels – cleaned with beards removed.
- 1 bunch of Italian parsley – roughly chopped
- 3/4 stick of unsalted butter
- Kosher salt
DIRECTIONS
For the Short Rib
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Dab each short rib with paper towel and season generously with kosher salt. Set aside for 15 – 20 minutes.
In a medium to large Dutch oven over medium high heat, add oil until it coats the bottom.
Dab short rib again to remove excess moisture. Brown each side of short rib cooking in batches if needed. Once browned remove and set aside.
Add diced onion, carrot, and crushed garlic with a pinch of salt. Sauté for 1 minute. Pour half a bottle of red wine into Dutch oven to deglaze the pan. Allow wine to come to temperature.
Add short rib back into Dutch oven bone side down – if possible. Add remaining wine or beef stock until liquid just about covers the short rib. Place lid on top and cook in oven for 3.5 hours or until very tender.
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Once cooked, carefully remove each short rib and place on a plate. Cover in tinfoil and allow to rest.
Strain braising liquid and place back into Dutch oven. Cook liquid over medium/medium high heat until fully reduced. Liquid should be very thick. Reduce heat to low. While stirring consistently, slowly add the ½ stick of butter. Sauce should be glossy like a glaze. Set aside.
For the Mussels
In a sauté pan on medium heat add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add shallot and garlic. Sauté until soft. Deglaze pan with dry white wine. Allow wine to come up to temperature. Add mussels and put lid on to allow the steam to open the mussels. Keep the mussels moving while steaming. Once most shells are open, remove mussels into a bowl. Keep in mind mussels do not take long to cook so keep your eye on it. Remove half the mussels from the shell and keep the remaining in the shell. Set aside.
Reduce heat to low. While consistently stirring, add butter and fresh parsley. Continue to stir until sauce thickens and butter is fully melted. Add mussels back into white wine garlic-butter sauce and stir until mussels are lightly coated.
To Serve
Spoon white wine garlic-butter sauce on bottom of serving dish. Slightly reheat glaze. Drizzle glaze over top of each short rib on the plate they were resting on. Place one short rib in middle of the serving dish. Add mussels in and out of shell around short rib. Top with your favorite garnish (parsley/chervil).
Check out the Canada Beef website for more great recipes
Enjoy!